Huntington Beach is world-famous as "Surf City", from the 1960s Jan and Dean surf rock song of the same name, and much of surfing culture started and continues to evolve there, from surfing styles to surfing apparel companies that started there. Huntington Beach is also mentioned by name in the Beach Boys song "Surfin' Safari", where "at Huntington and Malibu they're shooting the pier".

The year-round temperature averages 67 degrees F, and good weather can be every month. However, the months of January to March can be rainy.

As with most of Orange County, Huntington Beach is serviced by John Wayne Airport (IATA: SNA) [9] in Santa Ana. SNA is served by many major commercial and commuter air carriers. Beginning on April 30, 2009, Virgin America will begin service to John Wayne with five (5) daily nonstops from San Francisco, CA (IATA: SFO).

Huntington Beach is located at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and the Pacific Coast Highway, just under 14 miles directly south of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park. Interstate 405, which links John Wayne, Long Beach, and Los Angeles International Airports, intersects Beach Boulevard about 6 miles north of Huntington Beach.

Parking: The best place to park is the city parking located right at the beach. The entrance is just north of Highway 1 (the PCH) and the main street. You will conveniently be able to unload watercoolers, surf boards and the kids all safely without having to cross streets. It saves on lifting and lugging as well. You can wash off and change clothes right next to the parking at the water showers and washrooms. Washrooms are adequate but small. They also get wet and sandy during the day.

If you're on a budget, you can usually find some parking in nearby neighborhoods. But watch for street signs that may indicate parking is only allowed at certain times or days. This may require a little more walking if you're headed to the beach, but it's not too much.

OCTA Route 1* North and South runs along the Pacific Coast Highway, servicing all of Orange County's beaches. Routes 33 and 35 South directly run into Huntington State Beach. Routes 21** South, 70* West and 72 West end at Sunset Beach. Routes 25 South, 29 South, 172 West and 173** South all serve Huntington's downtown and its beach.

*For route 1 North make sure that the banner reads Cal State Long Beach and not Newport Transportation Center. For route 70 make sure it reads Sunset Beach and not Goldenwest Transportation Center.

Huntington Beach has some of the largest stretches of open-sand beaches in all of California, as well the Huntington Beach Pier (one of the longest concrete piers in the world), site of world-class surfing and volleyball events yearly.

Running/Walking/biking/rollerblading: There is a wide boardwalk right by the pier. It is part of the Huntington Beach Bike Path. The Bike Path runs for about eight miles along the beach. Heading south along the boardwalk is likely your best scenic scenario. Walking, riding a bike, running are all very safe. Many very good runners first thing in the morning - often as soon as the sun comes up.

Surfing: You can try your hand at surfing. There is a surf rental shop right at the boardwalk. Start with a boogie board for the day circa $15 US. There are many good surfers so they may get annoyed if you stand in the waves too long. Keep moving; this is your best bet. If you get tired get out (of their way) by heading to the hot sandy beach to rest up for more.

Relaxing: Take a walk up the Main street. There are a number of restaurants and a Starbucks.

Partying: There are so many bars on Main St. that you can meet with friends at any of them and have a great time drinking, dining, or dancing. During the winter, you can organize a "pub crawl" and have your group stop for a drink at every bar.

Peak season is from late May to early September. The beaches on any given summer day may have as many as 500,000 visitors when it is particularly hot inland.

Bella Terra[16] The newest mall in town, this upscale transformation of what once was the Huntington Mall has turned a small, unpopular shadow of a mall into a vibrant city center. Located just off the 405 at the Edinger exit it is a treasure trove of restaurants, shops and areas to socialize. The Cinemark movie theater opens up to a courtyard that regularly plays host to musical perfomances, dance shows, and other fun activites. Second only to downtown in the number of restaurants there is no shortage of choices for food. From sushi at Kabuki to bugers at Johnny Rockets, to the eponymus dessert at The Cheesecake Factory Bella Terra is the locals' favorite for a fun night out.

Fred's Mexican Cafe, 300 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ph (714)374-TACO. Great Mexican food & the best Margaritas north of Tijuana. There is no better view of the Huntington Beach pier than Fred's patio. Good prices and a favorite of the locals!

Chronic Tacos, 328 11th Street, Ph: (714) 960-0339, Fax: (714) 960-0094. Located a few blocks from downtown, this place offers a full menu of extremely tasty tacos, burritos, and other Mexican cuisine served from behind a counter. Prices for a giant burrito are around $5.50 (includes guacamole, cheese, meat, and a choice of other fillings). Two pool tables are also available for $0.75 per game.

Islands, 7861 Edinger Ave, Ph: (714) 897-4619. A Californian chain, this is a great place for family, serving hamburgers, salads, and hotdogs.

Ruby's, Huntington Beach Pier, Ph: (714) 969-7829. A great place for family with 50s diner feeling and great hamburgers, hotdogs and milkshakes. It's located at the end of the pier, so it offers lovely views of the Pacific, the Huntington Beach coastline, and (on less smoggy days) Catalina Island.

Sugar Shack Cafe, 213 1/2 Main St., Ph: (714) 536-0355. A favorite cafe for locals, famous in Huntington Beach for great breakfasts and amazingly low prices.

Aloha Grill, 221 Main St # F, Ph: (714) 374-4427. This upstairs bar and grill has a luau vibe and friendly staff. This may be the only place you can go where you would be gay not to ask for a rainbow (Rainbow is the name of their world-famous tropical drink). [18]

Hurricanes Bar & Grill, 200 Main St # 201, Ph: (714) 374-0500. Delicious drink options include blended drinks such as their Rum Runners, and the food menu has caribbean cuisine. It's a cool place to be with great "scenery" for the guys, but the service isn't always nice to people in large groups so be aware. [20]

Residence Inn Huntington Beach Fountain Valley, 9930 Slater Avenue, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, ☎714-965-8000, [7]. The Residence Inn Huntington Beach Hotel is located in Fountain Valley, CA near South Coast Plaza, Disneyland and the OC Coastline and provides just what you need for an extended stay on the road.edit

Crime is very low for such a large city, and violent crime is very rare. If you are drinking, you should be far more concerned with local police than civilians. If you are drinking, call a cab because DUIs are illegal.